Acer AOD250-1624 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Over 3 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) Review
I've only had my Acer AOD250 for a few days, so I can't comment on longer-term reliability or issues. Qualifications:
- I'm running Windows 7 Starter and I'm strongly resisting paying for an upgrade.
- I'm still waiting for my 2 gig RAM to arrive (grumble).
- I haven't purchased an external DVD drive yet.
- I am not a power user. Office, Acrobat, & a browser constitute about 90% of my program usage.
- It's not always possible (at least for me) to distinguish between device issues and OS issues. They do work together, so I haven't shied away from making comments that may relate as much to Win 7 SE as to the Aspire 1.
Pluses:
- Size & weight are perfect for me; not at all too heavy or large to carry with great ease, but big enough to work with comfortably.
- I love the keyboard; the smaller size is easy for me to type on and the feel of the keys is perfect.
- Start-up and shut-down are quick. (Oddly, my machine takes longer to start-up from hibernation than from just being off. Sleep is fast.)
- Nice-looking, IMO. Fingerprints aren't too noticeable, and can easily be wiped off with a soft rag.
- Computer & power converter stay nice & cool.
- Very easy to connect to new networks. (I've connected to our locked home network, a locked coffeeshop network, and a library network so far.)
- I'm running Office 2010 Beta instead of the trial version of Office 2007 or MS Works. Even with 1 gb RAM, the Acer is not slowed at all by Office 2010, and I've had no problems at all. An aside: even though I'm not usually fond of learning new versions of software, I like Office 2010 very much & prefer it to Office 2007.
- You Tube, Netflix, & Hulu run just fine. The only online image issue that I've found so far is that Yahoo mail prefers a higher resolution screen. I went back to Yahoo Classic, which I prefer anyway. All of my photographs except one look fine (not ultra-sharp but quite good), and the one just has a re-sizing problem. The resolution on this netbook is not adequate for serious photo-editing, but it's fine for an amateur like me to play with. It would also probably be useful for a photographer who just wants a place to dump, sort, & view a ton of photos without having to haul around a heavy, expensive laptop all of the time.
Cons:
- Comes with Win 7 SE instead of Home Premium. This issue has been flogged to death elsewhere.
- Though I'm getting used to the touchpad, it really is too small. I'm not sure why since there's plenty of space to make it wider, but there you are. I find that I sometimes have to touch (jab) hard to get it to work. The scrolling is pretty poor to, IMHO.
- The button for clicking is quite stiff, at least on my machine. It's difficult enough to use that it slows me down and is a psin. Hopefully I'll get more comfortable with it, but it shouldn't be this way.
- I'm getting about 2 hours of battery life surfing the web, using Word, and looking at pictures (not all apps at the same time). I'm considering a larger battery, but the weight is holding me back more than the cost. The 9-volt weighs as much as the machine!
- Speakers on the bottom, as funny as that might sound. Propping up the front a little bit helps, & the sound is decent via headphones.
- Doesn't pick up low-signal networks as easily as my full-size Dell laptop.
- Bloatware, even on a little machine like this. I wish that MS & manufacturers could control themselves in that regard, but I suppose that they get paid a lot to include the wretched stuff. As another reviewer recommended, I've removed some programs, including the redundant anti-virus trials and the games (which IMHO suck anyway.) That helped the speed. I'll probably remove Works and the Word 2007 trial as well. When I upgrade the RAM, this machine should work like lightening.
- External DVD drive required. When you set up, you're prompted to make an optical copy of the original system. While I was able to back up Win 7 Starter etc to an external hard drive with no problem, the Acer files will only write to a DVD. (Actually, 2 DVD's). No drive, no backup, no recourse if you need to do a clean install. Not nice. And yet Win 7 Starter won't let you watch DVD's, so unless you routinely burn DVD's the money for the external DVD player may be wasted.
I plan to try VLC which seems to work for many reviewers. (The Win Media Player on my old laptop running Win XP doesn't work, but VLC works perfectly so I'm optimistic.) I wouldn't have purchased a player just to watch DVD's though, as I can get all of the TV and movies that I want via the Internet.
- Lots of people have hissy fits over the inability to change the wallpaper or have a screensaver in Win 7 Starter so I'm listing this deficit, but for my part I could care less and anyway there are workarounds that are compatible with the Acer AOD250. I imported a large file of photos and had no problem running a slide show.
Conclusion:
Despite the drawbacks, this is one wonderful little machine and an incredible bargain to boot. I've seen other netbooks with apparently identical specs and lower ratings for significantly more money. I'm very happy with my Acer AOD 250 1695 and highly recommend it.
Acer AOD250-1624 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Over 3 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) Feature
- 1.6GHz Intel N270 Atom Processor
- 1024MB DDR2 SDRAM Single Channel Memory
- 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM), Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
- Windows 7 Starter Operating System, 3-cell Li-ion Battery (2200 mAh)
- 10.1" WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite LED Display, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Acer AOD250-1624 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Over 3 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) Overview
Acer AOD250-1624 comes with these high level Specs. Intel Atom Processor N270, Windows 7 Starter, 10.1-Inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite LED Display, Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, 1024MB DDR2 SDRAM Single Channel Memory, 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM), Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Integrated Acer Crystal Eye Webcam, Two Built-in Stereo Speakers, 3 - USB 2.0 Ports, 3-cell Li-ion Battery (2200 mAh), 2.44 lbs. | 1.11 kg (system unit only)
Acer AOD250-1624 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Over 3 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) Specifications
Browse the Web, check email, share photos, keep up with social networks, listen to music and enjoy a variety of entertainment with the Aspire One AOD250, which features a small compact design that you can take anywhere. Acer makes it easy to stay productive while on the go with the 10.1-inch CrystalBrite LED-backlit screen as well as its excellent near full-size keyboard. A great choice for students as well as business travelers who like to travel light, this Aspire One AOD250 model (AOD250-1624) in black has a 3-cell battery that provides just over 3 hours of battery life on the go and weighs 2.44 pounds.
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![]() The sleekly designed Aspire One AOD250 weighs just 2.44 pounds (with 3-cell battery). |
![]() A great choice for light-packing business travelers and students, this 10.1-inch Aspire One AOD250 comes with Windows 7 Starter, a 160 GB hard drive, and a 3-cell battery for up to 3.15 hours of battery life. |
![]() Pinch, flick and swirl your fingers on the Multi-Gesture Touchpad for an intuitive navigation to view web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. |
You'll be able to easily video chat wherever you roam thanks to the Crystal Eye webcam integrated into the LCD's bezel, delivering smooth video streaming and high quality images even in low-light situations. And the built-in digital microphone delivers superior voice quality keeping background noise level low and minimizing echoes. Pinch, flick and swirl your fingers on the multi-gesture touchpad for an intuitive navigation to view web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more.
It's powered by the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, which is designed especially for mobile devices using an innovative design structure and hafnium-infused circuitry to reduce electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy. Packed with roomy 160 GB hard drive--great for storing a mobile digital audio and video library--this Aspire One also features 1 GB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multi-format memory card reader, multiple USB ports, and built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.
Key Features
- 10.1-inch LED-backlit CrystalBrite screen (1024 x 600 resolution) (Learn more)
- Windows 7 Starter makes small notebook PCs easier to use because it puts less between you and what you want to do--less waiting, less clicking, less hassle connecting to networks. And Starter combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows. (Learn more)
- Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. A small notebook PC running Windows 7 Home Premium is even easier to use. The new taskbar and advanced navigation features make launching programs, opening files, managing windows, and getting around your PC faster and easier. Personalize your PC to be just the way you want it with helpful gadgets and desktop themes--even turn your desktop into a slideshow of your favorite photos. And you get the best entertainment experience on a PC. With Windows Media Center, you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV.
- 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor combines performance and efficiency to explore the Internet and stay connected while mobile (Learn more)
- Up to 3.15 hours of battery life with included 3-cell battery
- Multi-gesture Touchpad for circular-motion scrolling, pinch-action zoom, and page flip (Learn more)
- 160 GB hard drive (5400 RPM)
- 1 GB DDR2 RAM (667 MHz; 2 GB maximum capacity)
- Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 video processor
- Crystal Eye webcam supports Acer PrimaLite technology, which consists of a premium sensor, firmware and lenses to provide superior video performance under low-light conditions. A built-in digital microphone helps keep background noise levels low and minimizes echoes.
- 84-key keyboard, 89 percent of standard-size with 12 function keys, WLAN switch
- 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
- Fast Ethernet (10/100)
- VGA video output
- Stereo speakers and optimized Dolby Headphone technology for 5.1-channel audio
- Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
- Dimensions: 10.17 x 7.24 x 1 inches (WxDxH)
- Weight: 2.44 pounds
- Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty with concurrent International Traveler's Warranty
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
This Acer Aspire One notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks and offers Acer's SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency. It also provides Fast (10/100) Ethernet networking.
- 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
- Analog video output: 1 VGA
- Multi-in-1 memory card reader compatible with MultiMediaCard, Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO or xD-Picture Card
- 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
What's in the Box
This package contains the Acer Aspire One AOD250-1624 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions
It also comes with the following software: McAfee Internet Security Suite 2009 (trial version with 60 days of live update); Microsoft Works with Office Home and Student 2007 Trial; Google Desktop; Norton Online Backup; WildTangent
Learn More
10.1-Inch CrystalBrite Screen
The 10.1-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and support for up a 262K color depth. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses shared video memory with the main memory. Acer's CrystalBrite display technology guarantees the best possible visual experience by preventing the diffusion of surrounding light and internal ray. Compared to normal TFT LCDs, Acer CrystalBrite technology is able to read color coordinates more accurately, thus minimizing distortion and creating high-fidelity colors in all environments.![](http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/Windows7-starter-1line.jpg)
Windows 7 Starter makes small notebook PCs easier to use because it puts less between you and what you want to do—less waiting, less clicking, less hassle connecting to networks. Windows 7 Starter combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows.
Simpler and easier to use | Built with the latest technology | Makes home networking easy |
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Intel Atom Processor: Your PC's Perfect Internet Companion
Take the Internet to more places with the long battery life and flexibility of a compact, lightweight netbook powered by the incredibly small, amazingly smart Intel Atom processor. It features a design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).Sleek, Eye-Catching Design Matched with Highly Functional Additions
The Acer Aspire One AOD250 has been designed to be even more streamlined than its predecessors--whittling down the depth to just one inch thin and shaving the weight down to just under 2.5 pounds. The sleek aerodynamic design includes elegant touches such as the color-rich chassis along with the metallic hinge with a colored accent.![]() |
It also uses a clever Multi-Gesture Touchpad that allows you to pinch, flick and swirl your fingers across the touchpad for more natural photo and video viewing as well as intuitive navigation of websites such as Google Earth. The Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows you to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. Finally, it features a soft-touch palm rest to increase typing comfort.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 28, 2010 03:59:40